Folding box



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HOVENSTINE, OF FORT VAYNE, INDIANA.

FOLDING BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.453,479, dated .T une 2, 1891.

Application iiled August 2'7, 1890.

To all whom 1125 may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HowENsriNE, of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Boxes, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to boxes, egg-cases, fruit-crates, and similar receptacles, and has for its object to produce strong, light, shapely, and cheap receptacles from any suitable material by a novel method of construction, whereby the sides, bottom, and top are stiffened and held connected, so that they may be erected into rectangular form or be extended in one plane as a knockdown box; and to this end it consists in a box having its parts constructed and arranged as is hereinafter described, and indicated in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. K

Figure l is a -perspective view of the box with its lid opened. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the box with the cover closed, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

The preferred form for the box A, as shown in the drawings, is rectangular; but other shapes may be given to the structure, if desired, and embody the features of my invention. x

Any suitable material in thin plates, sheets, or slabs may be utilized for the formation of the improved box; but to secure stability, lightness, and facility in the manufacture at a minimum cost for production `thin wooden sheets or boards are preferred.

To afford a light and strong structure, the sides a of the box are made of one or more thin pieces of board cut of proper and equal width and length, the grain of the material when two or more pieces are used being crossed at a right angle in these pieces, so that when they are united they will mutually stien each other and prevent warping of the material.

The bottom b and lid c of the box are each made one or more thicknesses of material,

Seal No. 363,218. (No model.)

and when more than one piece is used these are disposed to cross the grain of the stu'if in a'manner similar to the construction of the sides a.

At evenly-spaced intervals on the outer surface of the sides a, bottom b, and lid c of the box A there are stitfening wire rods CZ d secured, which rods are made of a thickness proportional to the dimensions of the parts they are attached to. The ends of the stiffening-rods d are ybent into hook form and are hooked upon the top edges of the sides a, said rods being made of such length as will permit them to embrace the sides and bottom of the receptacle A, bends being made at eto tit the corners of the box-body and allow the sfidening-rods to lie closely upon the outer surface of the same, said bends being made when the sides are erected in parallel planes to form a box. By proper means the rods d are clamped fast to the sides a and bottom b of the box-body A. Preferably the staples g are used for this purpose and are inserted through the wooden or other material of which the` sides and bottom are composed and clinched within. Said staples, being made to embrace the rods d when fully inserted and secured, serve to bind them upon the side and bottom walls of the box-body, so as to render the structure substantial.

The end walls h of the boxAare each made of two thin pieces of material cut into proper shape to iit between the vertical sides d, and are of proper height to conform with the top edges of the sides when in place. The ends may also be made of` one piece and fastened in a similar manner. Preferably each of the Vend walls 7i is made intercellular by the use of vertical spacing-strips h', which lare inserted betweenthe two thin portions of each end wall, so as to separate them a slight distance and retain these pieces parallel to each other when they are properly secured together. Any suitable number of strips h are employed, there being one at each sideedge of the composite endv walls, as shown in Fig. l.

The end walls h of the box-body A are set in a short distance from the ends of the side walls ct to permit the batteus 'L' to be located on the end walls and have their outer edges secured to the end portions of the side walls IOO by the sttples t" the thickness of the battens being so proportioned that they will form a strong re-enforcing brace for the ends of the box-body when they are thereto attached by the staples i2 or other similar means. The mitered ends of the battens rare notchedinto steps o, as shown in Fig. 1, which form of con-- struction will prevent an outward Wedging action at these points of contact if the box when closed is made to sustain Weight on its lid.

The lidc ofthe box is provided with stifteningrods d', which are given equal spaces with the vertical rods (l on the sides a and have integral loops or eyes formed on one end of each rod, which eyes are all located on one edge of the lid, there being similar eyes on the ends of the rods d at the upper edge of the' box, so that the adjacent ends of these rods maybe hooked together at one side edge of the lid, forming a series of hinge-joints for the lid that loosely connect the lid and boxbody together. Each of the rods d is secured to the lid by staples d2, that embrace the rod, and are affixed in the lid by clinching or other means, and the ends of said rods which are projected toward the free edge of the lid c are hooked over said edge, as represented in Fig. 1. The lid c is also furnished with batteu-strps c', which are attached to its ends and depend therefrom to interlock with the side battens fr' and rest on their upper ends When the lid is closed.

As a convenient means for securing the lid in place when closed, two turn-buckle latchhooks 7c, bent from Wire, are loosely secured upon the depending hatten-strips c by insertion of a portion of the Wire Shanks of the latches through holes made transversely in the strips, and then bending the projecting portion at a lright angle to the parts in the Wooden battens, thus forming handles 7c on the outside of the battens that will aEord means for the rocking movement of the hooks 7.a, which will engage them with the cross-pins m and hold the lid shut.

The peculiar construction of the box and manner of applying the stiffeningrods d hold the lid hinged to one side and both sides secured to the bottom of the box, and as the end Walls may be removed by drawing the staples i the box can be reduced to nearly fiat surfaces by bending the rods d straight, which will permit the packing together in a compact bundle of a large number ofthe crates or boxes for shipment and transportation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A box having composite top, bottom, and side walls, which are re-enforced by stiftening wire rods held in place by staples, and end walls which are intercellular and are secured to the sidewalls by end battens that are held to the sides and end walls by staples, substantially as set forth.

2. A box having its sides, lid, and bottom made of two pieces of material re-enforced by wire rods and staples that hold the rods in place, end Walls which are intercellular and secured to the sides and bottom by end battens which are notched into step form at their miters, and turn-buckle latches which are located on depending battens of the lid and adapted to interlock with cross-pins in the end walls ot the box, substantially as set forth.

JOHN IIOXVENSTINE.

\Vit11esses:

EDGAR D. Roenes, JOHN DREIBELLINS. 

